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Background Basics

Iranian Nuclear Program: Key Recent Events

posted on 04/18/08

2007

December 3: The U.S. National Intelligence Estimate (NIE) concluded that Iran had halted its nuclear weapons program in 2003 mainly as a response to “international scrutiny and pressure” and that the program remains frozen. It also said that Iran continues to enrich uranium for civilian purposes, which could still be used to produce a nuclear weapon by the middle of the next decade.

December 17: After a dispute lasting months, supposedly over delayed construction payments, Iran received its first shipment of nuclear fuel from Russia to its Bushehr nuclear power plant. While in Iran, the fuel is to be under IAEA control and then returned to Russia for processing and storage. The United States initially objected to Russia supplying fuel to the Bushehr plant, but later reversed its position to gain Russia’s support for the fist round of UN sanctions against Iran.

At the same time, Iran revealed plans to construct a second nuclear power plant near the city of Darkhovein, which will be fueled by enriched uranium from its Natanz enrichment facility. The announcement dashed hopes that the Russian transfer of fuel would influence Iran to freeze its own uranium enrichment program in Natanz.

2008

January 28: Iran received its final fuel shipment from Russia to its Bushehr nuclear power plant. While Iran did not set a firm date for the plant’s start, officials stated that the plant is expected to begin operations this summer.

February 22: IAEA director general Mohamed ElBaradei released a report on Iran’s nuclear activities. According to the report, the IAEA was allowed to show evidence to Iran for the first time on the country’s past attempts to create a nuclear weapon. Since 2005, the IAEA had urged the United States and other countries to permit it to show the evidence to Iran, but the United States had refused until recently. The evidence suggests that Iran had previously designed a warhead capable of holding a nuclear device. Iran dismissed these claims as “baseless,” but at the same time the IAEA stated that Iran has yet to explain evidence of its efforts to “weaponize” nuclear materials. The report also said that Iran has increased its cooperation on other issues in the past few months.

March 3: The UN Security Council imposed its third round of sanctions against Iran, which include tighter inspections of cargo, heavier monitoring of its financial institutions and additional travel restrictions and asset freezes. The Council’s permanent members and Germany also stated that they are willing to begin direct negotiations with Iran if the country halts its enrichment program and related activities. Russia agreed to the new UN sanctions, only on the condition that the other Security Council members drop their plans for a new IAEA resolution against Iran. The disagreement was resolved after the Security Council and Germany announced that all future proposals on the Iranian nuclear issue would be within the framework of the six-party talks.

After the issuance of the new sanctions, these countries called for renewed talks between EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana and Iranian nuclear negotiator Said Jalili.

April 8: In defiance of international calls for Iran to halt enrichment, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad declared that Iran has begun to install 6,000 new centrifuges at its main nuclear plant in Natanz. Western experts claim that Iran is unable to properly run its current 3,000 centrifuges, and the announcement might be more about political posturing than technical advance. In addition, experts have not confirmed the latest claim of additional centrifuges.

April 11: A report by The Times of London indicated that Iran is developing a ballistic missile weapons site, with new weapons capable of reaching continental Europe. Iran claimed that the rocket site is planned to support an emerging Iranian space program.

April 14: A meeting between Gholamreza Aghazadeh, head of Iran’s Atomic Energy Organization, and director general of the IAEA Mohamed ElBaradei was canceled for unspecific reasons. According to Iranian officials the meeting will take place at a more “appropriate time.”

April 16: The five permanent members of the UN Security Council along with Germany and the EU met in China to discuss Iran’s nuclear program. The meeting focused on creating a package of economic, political and security incentives for Iran to halt its uranium enrichment program. The members failed to reach agreement regarding a package acceptable to Iran, which rejected a 2006 offer of incentives.

The EU also urged Iran to join the Convention on Nuclear Safety, which would require it to allow international review of its nuclear programs. Despite pressure from Russia, Iranian officials indicated that the country has no interest in joining the convention.